Flying-machine.



W. E- SOMERVILLE.

FLYING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 19M.

Patented July 4, 1916.

w. E. SOMERVILLE.

FLYING MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1914.

Patented July 4, 1916.-

3-SHEETS-SHEET 2- W. E. SOMERVILLE.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 30, m4.

' Patented July 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATE remand canton.

.WILLIAM E. SOMERVILLE, OF COAL CITYyILLINOIS.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ma 4, 1916.

. Application filed March 30,1914. Serial No. 828,257.

ing a part of this specification.

My invention. relates to improvements in flying machines and has for its object the production of a machine in which the angle of incidence of the main plane may be varied at will while the machine is in the air. A further object is the production of a machine with means for changing or varying the camber. I A further object is the production of; {a machine having a stabilizer so designed as to keep the machine longitudinally stable.

A further object is the production of a machine of few parts and simple construction and one not liable to be easily broken or damaged.

These and such other objects as may be attained by my machine are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my machine with a part of the fuselage broken away exposing the mechanism; Fig. 2 represents an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the stabilizer;'Fig. 3

represents a top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the upper main plane and means for varying its angle of incidence. Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of Fig. 4 with a portion broken away.

Like numerals of referenceindicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, 6 represents the fuselage, 7 the chassis, 8 the engine and 9 the propeller of my machine; 10 represents the upper and 11 the lower main plane. At the center of the upper main plane is located an upwardly projecting fin 12.

Near the rear of the machine and at the upper side is located the stabilizer comprising a forward portion 13 and a rear portion 13 while below the stabilizer on the under side of the end of the fuselage is the rear support 14.

At the rear of the fuselage and arranged to swing horizontally on the upright rod 15 is the rudder 16. The required movement of the rudder is effected through the medium of two levers, one in the rear 17 on therud- 'der and one in the front 18 under the control of one of the operators, the two leversbeing connected by the cords 19, 19

Seats l'2020 are provided for two operators, positioned well in the front of the machine, all of the mechanism of the machine except the engine being within the control of the operator on the rear seat 20.

.lhe first important feature requiring descriptlon is the main planes l0 and 11 which comprise each a rigid rear portion 21 and 22,

and a movable front member 21, 22*, the construction and operation of one of which are more clearly shown by reference to Figs. i and 5.

Secured to the front post 23 of the main frame near the under plane is a sprocket wheel 24 having on one face a bevel gear 25 in engagement with a corresponding bevel gear 26 on the end of a short upright journal shaft 27 which is in .turn provided at its upper end with a worm 28 engaging the teeth29 of a segmental worm gear 30 movably mounted on the horizontal shaft 31 at the top of the frame. This shaft forms the front support for the rigid end 21 of the upper plane and also a support for the movable end 21 the frame 32 of which is rigid with the segmental worm gear 30, so when the segmental worm gear .is rocked on the shaft 31 the angle of the member 21 is varied with respect to the plane 21 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4:. A similar mechanism in reverse position is provided for the lower plane as shown at 323 in Fig. 1.

The actual movement of the members 21 -22 is effected in the following manner: In a convenient position in front of the operator is located a sprocket wheel 31 with a suitable handle 35 over which wheel achain 36 passes downwardly and over a second sprocket 37 mounted on a supplemental shaft 38. Sprocket chains 33) 10 connect the upper and lower plane shifting mechanism with the chain 36 so the operator can-by manipulating the lever vary at will the position of the front ends SP-22 of the main planes.

Referring now to the stabilizer shown in detail in Fig. 2, each member 13 and 13 comprises a frame over which is stretched a canvas cover. The upper surface -11.is formed concave upward and the lower sursurface of the top -face 4Q concave downward. This is efsupporting member 46 and the lower end of that the movable member 21 the lower arm is connected by a rod 49 to the operating lever 50.

The rear member 13 of the stabilizer is rigidly mounted on the rocking shaft 51 and is rocked vertically by means of upwardly and downwardly projecting frames 52, 52 whose ends have cord connections 53, 53 with the upper and lower ends of the operating lever 5 1. 7

It is thus apparent that by a proper manipulation of the levers 54c the front end of the member 13 and the rear end of the member 13 can be raised or lowered, thus making the stabilizer as a whole assume a greater or less degree of incidence either upwardly or downwardly as desired or to cause the two members to lie in substantially the same horizontal plane as shown in the illustration in Figs. 1 and By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted f the upper plane does not extend the full width ofthe plane but that the ends of the upper plane terminate in upturned end members 55, 55 that are rigid with the main body of the plane. It is of course to be understood that this feature is not essential to this type of machines but that the movable front member may, if desired, extend to the extreme end and the main plane terminate in the horizontal plane of the plane itself.

Referring now to the means for changing the angle of incidence of the planes of the machine, this is best illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper and lower planes 10 and 11, in addition. to being connected together by means of the posts 23, 23, are also pivotally mounted on an immovable support or axis 56, the connection being made through the medium of rods 57, 57, 52" and. 57. A threaded connection shaft 58 is pivotally mounted at 59 to the lower plane and a worm gear 59 threaded on shaft 58 and held in place between the bearings 59 through the medium of a hand wheel 60 and worm 61' enabling the operator by revolving the wheel to cause the connecting shaft to travel forward or back, thus varying the angle of incidence of the pie nes in any desired manner, the chain 36 being tightened or slackened during this movement, but not so much as to interfere with.- its operation. For instance, if the wheel is revolved so as is operated to-cause the shaft to move bacliwardly, the

point 59 is pulled upwardly and rearwardiy,

thus causing both planes to turn on the axis 56. The rear end 22, for instance, of the lower plane swings upwardly quite a dis.- tance while the front portion 22 would be depressed,.though not in so great a degree owing to the position or" the pivotal point 56.

Referring now to the advantage and the operation of my machine: It is a well understood fact' that the same machine is not suited for speed and stability and capacity and that in themachines designed primarily for speed the other requisites are minimized and often ignored; so also a machine designed for high climbing is not best adapted for long steady flights. the adoption of the improvements present in my machine, however, all of these (littlculties may be overcome and the machineadyusted to give the best results regardless of the use for which it is required.

If swift climbing is desired depression of the front members 21 -22 and the front stabilizer 13, as well as the depression of the member 13 accomplishes the result. If one wishes to get ofi the ground or water quickly he will change to a higher angle of incidence and after he is in the air he can reduce the angle and the camber to get the best possible speed out of the machine. It is a fact that in the design of the planes if the same is desired for speed, climbing is sacrificed, or vice versa, because of the relation of the camber to the chord. As an illustration, the smaller the camber, the machine is efiicient as a speed machine only and very inefficient as a climber, and themachine, something in addition to changing the angle of incidenceof the machine must be done, so in order to get efficiency when the angle of incidence is changed I provide means for changing the depth of the camber; as the angle of incidence is increased the camber can be increased, or vice versa. To accomplish the change in the depth of the camber various methods can be adopted. I change the camber by using the front wing bar as a pivot the section of the wing extending from the front wing bar to the leading edge is made to revolve around the said wing bar thereby changing the cam: ber.

An improvement in the stabilizer or'tail to secure the longitudinal stability of the flying machine automatically, is accomplished by making the stabilizer with camber on the top side as well as the bottom side. A two sided cambered stabilizer will give an equal reaction, 2'. (2., if the aeroplane from some cause commenced a dive the camber on the upper side of the stabilizer would have the necessary pressure to force the tail down and bring the aeroplane to a level keel. The same results would occur if the aeroplane started to climb, as the camber on the under. side of the stabilizer would right the aeroplane. I

It is evident that I am not limited to the precise means illustrated in order to accomplish my objects as variations and modifications accomplishing the resultsare possible without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A flying machine comprising a longitudinally extending main frame, a plane supporting frame pivotally mounted on said main frame and comprising members ex tending transversely with respect to said main frame, and lifting plane supported -by said member, the front portions of said plane being pivoted on said transversely extending member to move with respectto the rest of the plane.

2. A flying machine comprising a lifting means formoving saidstabilizing means bodily about its pivot and for holding said stabilizing device rigid with respect to said lifting plane in various positions.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two wit nesses.

WILLIAM E. SOMERVILLE.

, Witnesses: i

CHARLIE G. ANDERSON,

W G. SUFFERN. 

